Douluo: My Spirit is Fallen Angel

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Puff! Puff! Puff!

Bloody mists burst one after another as all remaining elders of the Ice River Valley and Soul Hall experts were annihilated on the spot. They didn't even have the chance to send a message back to Soul Hall. Not that Qian Renhan was concerned—Soul Hall operated with an extensive outsourcing system, and information was passed up the chain one level at a time. If a respected elder died, they'd inform a Heavenly Venerate; if the Venerate couldn't resolve it, it'd go to a Vice Hall Master, then the Hall Master, and finally, only if necessary, to the Soul Clan.

The reason why the Soul Heavenly Emperor ultimately lost to Xiao Yan—apart from Nalan Yanran's broken engagement—was that Soul Hall's outsourced management system was too well-structured. Responsibilities were overly segmented and layered. Their workers were far too competent, which ironically gave Xiao Yan ample time and opportunity to grow.

Little Doctor Immortal came to Xiao Yan's side, her gaze falling warily upon Qian Renhan, who was still absorbing the corpses of the Soul Hall experts. She asked cautiously,

"Xiao Yan, who exactly is that senior? I've never heard you mention having an older brother before."

Xiao Yan smiled and explained, trying to ease her concern,

"My big brother has been hiding from pursuit for quite some time. He only came to find me recently after his strength had advanced significantly."

Venerable Tian Huo looked puzzled. "What is that senior doing? I feel like I've seen him somewhere before…"

Xiao Yan thought for a moment and replied,

"Big Brother is absorbing the Dou Qi of those Soul Hall experts to enhance his strength—similar to how Little Doctor Immortal increases hers by ingesting poison. As for why he seems familiar, it might be because he once had to hide from pursuers and ended up beneath the magma lake where I first met you."

Upon hearing this, Tian Huo Venerable couldn't help but exclaim in awe. The people around Xiao Yan were all monstrous freaks. First the Calamity Poison Body, and now someone whose physique was even more terrifying. And Xiao Yan himself was the personal disciple of the renowned alchemist Yao Chen—whose soul had even been resurrected. If that wasn't the life of a child blessed by heaven, then what was?

As night gradually fell upon Ye City, the deafening roars of the earth-shattering battle from earlier finally began to fade. Yet in the hearts of countless people, the blood still surged with excitement and awe. Battles of that level were rare, even in the vast Central Plains.

A crescent moon hung in the pitch-black sky, casting a cool silver light that gently bathed the city—its ruins from the daytime conflict now veiled in a layer of ethereal moonlight.

Deep within the Ye Family estate, in a quiet guest room, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged upon the bed. His hands formed training seals as he breathed in and out. A faintly blazing aura swirled gently around him.

"My strength still isn't enough," he muttered after opening his eyes and letting out a breath. "With my current level, I can barely handle a peak-level Dou Zong. But against a Dou Zun, unless I use the ultimate Destruction Fire Lotus, I'd likely be powerless. If Big Brother hadn't shown up today, I would've died at the hands of that Ice Venerable."

He lifted his head and gazed at the luminous crescent moon outside the window. A stunning figure in violet robes surfaced in his mind once more.

"Xun'er... Big Brother saved Teacher, and he saved my life as well. I truly don't want there to be any conflict between you two."

Xiao Yan wasn't a fool. Yao Lao had once told him that Xun'er's background was anything but simple. Back when three Dou Zuns descended upon Wu Tan City, Xun'er had disappeared. Two months later, a Dou Zun from the Gu Clan had arrived to exchange for the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Jade. From that, both he and Yao Lao were almost ninety percent sure—Xun'er was from the Gu Clan.

Even if he suspected that Xun'er had come to the Xiao family to claim the Ancient Jade, and even though he already had Queen Medusa—possibly even with a child—Xiao Yan couldn't sever the feelings he had for Xun'er. She was his first love. During those three years of humiliation, aside from his father, Xun'er had been the only light in his life.

One was the benefactor who had saved not only his teacher but also himself.

The other was his first love—perhaps even the woman he truly loved.

Xiao Yan didn't know how to choose.

Xiao Yan held no goodwill toward the greedy, shameless, and hypocritical Gu Clan—using nothing more than a low-grade Xuan-rank technique to trade for the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Jade. Yet, the Gu Clan was, after all, Xun'er's maternal family. On one side stood a debt of gratitude; on the other, love and family entanglements. If the two were to clash, it would be a tragedy—a loss far greater than the destruction of any object. And that was something Xiao Yan truly didn't wish to see.

"There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. In the end, it all comes down to strength. If I had enough power, even if Big Brother and the Gu Clan were to clash in full-scale conflict, I'd have a way to stop it. Cultivation, alchemy... I need to grow stronger, fast."

With a faint sigh, Xiao Yan clenched his fist tightly. The more his strength advanced, the more he learned, and the more deeply he understood—strength was everything!

—

At a medium-sized waterfall over a hundred meters high, the roaring sound of water pounding against rock echoed continuously. Before the cascading waters stood Qian Renhan, practicing the ice-elemental techniques he had acquired from the late Ice Venerable.

"Rain of Ice."

Qian Renhan gripped a long black sword forged from Dou Qi. With a slash of the blade, sword shadows tore through the air as the moisture in the surroundings condensed into ice spikes. The razor-sharp ice spears fell like crescent daggers into the lake below. Explosions erupted as towering water columns rose, shielding his figure entirely. Beneath the lake's surface, pits had been blasted into the earth.

"Ice Dragon Breaks the River."

He slashed once more. The moment the sword passed through a water column, the black Dou Qi surged into the water. Instantly, the column moved, morphing into a pitch-black dragon of ice.

These two techniques—Rain of Ice and Ice Dragon Breaks the River—were the only sword techniques found within the Ice Venerable's memories: one at the Xuan-rank, the other at low Earth-rank.

By all logic, with Qian Renhan's current cultivation level, he had no need for such low-tier sword skills. And thanks to his ability to devour souls, all knowledge and memory were already fully embedded in his mind. He didn't even need to practice; merely imitating the technique a few times would be enough.

For other Dou Techniques—like the Ancient Emperor's Grasp, or the Great Annihilation Finger—he had done exactly that. But not for sword techniques.

Because this was the path of the sword—his path forward.

It was just like how the God of Asura had passed on the God Seat to him: a path not easily tread.

Every Dou Technique was crafted from its creator's own understanding of their power. And for sword-based techniques, they each carried a unique comprehension of the sword. Qian Renhan had been stuck on the third stage of the Sword Dao for far too long. Even the former God of Asura had remained stuck at this bottleneck, unable to advance for ten thousand years.

That was precisely why Qian Renhan now sought to practice as many different sword techniques as he could—hoping to discover a new breakthrough, a new path. Just like how the Great Heavenly Creation Palm had once been birthed from innovation.

He too, wanted to become like the Saint of Creation—embracing all streams and forging a new river. But unfortunately, Dou Qi Continent simply didn't have enough sword-related techniques. Even the Starfall Pavilion only had a few, with the highest being a high Xuan-rank!

"Hopefully, the intelligence division of Starfall Pavilion can step it up this time. That way, after the Pill Tower Assembly ends and before the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit is born, I'll finally have a clear itinerary again."

Qian Renhan raised his head. The once-dark sky had begun to brighten slightly. In just the span of a single night, he had already practiced two full sword techniques.

(End of Chapter)